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ANTHRAX, HUMAN - IRAN
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A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: Thu 13 Aug 2009
Source: Tehran Times [edited]
<http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=200909>
150 Iranians suffer from anthrax
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There are only 150 people in the Islamic Republic infected with
anthrax, an official of the Health ministry announced here on Tuesday
[11 Aug 2009]. "We have managed to control the spread of the disease
throughout the country during recent years," Mohammad-Reza Shirzadi
said, adding "there is no concern in this regard." Fortunately, there
are vaccines effective against anthrax, and some forms of the disease
respond well to antibiotic treatment, Shirzadi stated.
The disease affects both humans and animals and most forms of it are
lethal (if untreated), Shirzadi explained. Anthrax, is a bacterial
disease (_Bacillus anthracis_), which may not spread directly from an
infected body to another. Clothes, bodies, and even soil, Shirzadi
commented, may be contaminated with anthrax spores. When these spores
are inhaled, ingested, or come into contact with a skin lesion on a
host they may reactivate and multiply rapidly. The usual danger of
contagion for humans is occupational exposure to infected animals or
their products, such as meat, Shirzadi warned.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Susan Baekeland
[Firstly, anthrax is infectious but not contagious. Secondly, 150
human cases in (presumably) 2008 is not a small number. In 2002 Iran
reported 269 human cases to OIE; 250 in 2003; 155 (and 1 death) in
2005; and 165 cases (and 1 death) in 2007. Thus it is a constant
human threat in the country. While they reported only 8 bovine
outbreaks in 2007 there were 33 in 2008 involving West Azarbayejan (6
outbreaks), East Azarbayejan (1), Chahar Mahal and Bakhtiyari (3),
Esfahan (2), Fars (1 mixed), Gilan (5), Hamadan (1), Razavi Khorasan
(3 - one mixed), Markazi (3), Semnan (1), Tehran (2), Yazd (2),
Qalvin (3); 25 outbreaks involving sheep and goats in 2008 in East
Azarbayejan (1), Karmanshan (1), Fars (9 - one mixed), Razavi
Khorasan (8 - one mixed), Kordestan (1), North Khorasan (1), South
Khorasan (2), Abdebil (2); and one equine outbreak in Zanjan. If one
were to map these out it is clear that the disease occurs across the
country from west to east, north to south.
At one time Iran looked as though it had this disease under control
and was on its way to eradicating it ... when one has an effective
control and surveillance system the anthrax disappears as soil
recontamination is stopped. This is a great pity as Iran has a modern
GIS-based animal surveillance system and should be right on top of
this disease for ensuring that herds with cases and their neighbours
are vaccinated. Obviously this is not the case. - Mod.MHJ]
[The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Iran is available at
<http://healthmap.org/r/00Hj>. - Sr.Tech.Ed.MJ]
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